It's a legal drama set in 1995 in Hinds County, Mississippi. It follows the case of Jeremiah O'Keefe, the owner of eight funeral homes in Southern Mississippi, against the Loewen Group, LLC., the owner of over 1,000 funeral homes at the time.
"The Burial" initially introduces us to fast-talking African-American Florida lawyer Willie E. Gary (Jamie Foxx). He's a very successful personal injury lawyer with only Black clients. We then meet Jeremiah O'Keefe (Tommy Lee Jones), a 75-year-old third-generation funeral home operator in Southern Mississippi. Jeremiah and his wife, Annette (Pamela Reed), have run into financial problems because of issues with an insurance company he owns. His lawyer, Mike Allred (Alan Ruck), suggests three of his funeral homes to the Loewen Group, headed by Ray Loewen (Bill Camp). The Loewen Group is based in Vancouver, British Columbia. O'Keefe agrees to a contract with the Loewen Group, but the deal is never closed. O'Keefe then sues Loewen Group for damages.
The Loewen Group uses a brilliant young African-American attorney, Mame Downes (Jurnee Smollett), to argue its case. O'Keefe hires Willie Gary to work with Mike Allred and a young attorney, Hal Dockins (Mamoudou Athie). The film follows the ebbs and flows of the court case that ends with a massive settlement for the O'Keefes.
"The Burial" is entertaining but logically confusing. Legal procedure is depicted entirely unrealistically (the lawyers make lengthy statements when supposedly questioning witnesses). The film provides no logical reason for including the Loewen Group's arrangement with the National Baptist Convention in the case--how was the case allowed to expand as much as it did?
Foxx, Jones, and Camp play stereotypes but with a certain entertaining verve. Athie is an excellent young lawyer. Smollett is serviceable as the young female attorney for the Loewen Group.
"The Burial" does not mention that Ray Loewen came from a Mennonite family operating a funeral home in Southern Manitoba. That's a blessing. The courtroom scenes have little relationship to reality. I encourage interested people to look up the 1996 article in the New York Times about the trial. The legal linkages become much more apparent, and the issues of the O'Keefe Insurance business become clear.
"The Burial" initially introduces us to fast-talking African-American Florida lawyer Willie E. Gary (Jamie Foxx). He's a very successful personal injury lawyer with only Black clients. We then meet Jeremiah O'Keefe (Tommy Lee Jones), a 75-year-old third-generation funeral home operator in Southern Mississippi. Jeremiah and his wife, Annette (Pamela Reed), have run into financial problems because of issues with an insurance company he owns. His lawyer, Mike Allred (Alan Ruck), suggests three of his funeral homes to the Loewen Group, headed by Ray Loewen (Bill Camp). The Loewen Group is based in Vancouver, British Columbia. O'Keefe agrees to a contract with the Loewen Group, but the deal is never closed. O'Keefe then sues Loewen Group for damages.
The Loewen Group uses a brilliant young African-American attorney, Mame Downes (Jurnee Smollett), to argue its case. O'Keefe hires Willie Gary to work with Mike Allred and a young attorney, Hal Dockins (Mamoudou Athie). The film follows the ebbs and flows of the court case that ends with a massive settlement for the O'Keefes.
"The Burial" is entertaining but logically confusing. Legal procedure is depicted entirely unrealistically (the lawyers make lengthy statements when supposedly questioning witnesses). The film provides no logical reason for including the Loewen Group's arrangement with the National Baptist Convention in the case--how was the case allowed to expand as much as it did?
Foxx, Jones, and Camp play stereotypes but with a certain entertaining verve. Athie is an excellent young lawyer. Smollett is serviceable as the young female attorney for the Loewen Group.
"The Burial" does not mention that Ray Loewen came from a Mennonite family operating a funeral home in Southern Manitoba. That's a blessing. The courtroom scenes have little relationship to reality. I encourage interested people to look up the 1996 article in the New York Times about the trial. The legal linkages become much more apparent, and the issues of the O'Keefe Insurance business become clear.